Chiropractic table



j, l 1924. 1,479,522; I

O. H. THORFINNSSON CHIROPRACTIC TABLE I Filed April 4, .1922 4 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR,

OH Thor inwsaarv- I I v Jam 1 1924.

o. H. THORFINNSSON QCHIROPRACTIC TABLE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 4, 1922 INVENTOR, O. H. Thor inmzson.

ATTORNEY.

Jan. 1 1924.

I O. H, THORFINNSSON -CHIROPRACTIC TABLE Filed April 4, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTO'R, 0. H Thor inms n- BY ATTORNEY,

Patented Jan. 1, 1924.

PATENT- OFFICE. l

OLE H- THORFINNSSON, or ennu /roan, MARYLAND.

CHIROPRACTIC TABLE.

Application filed April 4,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLE H; THORFINNS- SON, acitizen of theUnited States, residing at Baltimore city, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chiropractic Tables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to chiropractic tables, and more specifically to a chiropractic adjusting portable ofiice table, that is, to an operating table which is especially designed to fulfill the needs or requirements of a chiropractor with respect to a table on which the patient lies while receiving his chiropractic treatment.

One object of this invention is to provide a table of this character which is foldable into a comparatively small, compact and convenient shape, so as to form a package which can be conveniently carried, with comparative ease, by the chiropractor or the attendant, in a buggy, automobile, street car, railway train, or any ordinary road-vehicle; also carried by a strap or handle in the same manner in which a valise or suitcase is carried; so that the chiropractor may be properly equipped when visiting patients at their homes or elsewhere.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which is foldable and extensible without the necessity of connecting or disconnecting any of its parts, and without the use of any toolor implement; and without the necessity of having printed or written instructions for its folding and unfolding or extending.

Another object is to provide an operating table of this character with an elastically or resiliently mounted middle section or sections, for supporting the waist-line portion of a patients body while being operated upon.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of this character having a vertically adjustable head portion provided with an elongated or ellipticalopening into which the patients mouth and nose may we tend, for providing a comparatively comfortable rest for the face, also permitting the free passage of air for the patient to breathe.

Another object is to provide a table of this character which is sufiiciently wide. at its foot-portion to prevent it from being easily overturned, and which is sufficiently narrow from the middle portion to the extremeend 1922. Serial No. 549,405;

A further object is -to provide a table. of

this character with an intermediate support which includes legs that are automatically brought and retained inthe vertical position by the unfolding and setting up'ofthe table.

A further object is to provide a table of this character which, when set up, is so rigid that the operations of the chiropractor are not interfered with by any lateral orlongitudinal play or movement ofthe table or any of its parts.

Other objects and advantages will be pointed out or implied in the following details of description, in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved chiropractic table in position for use, its foot-supporting leaf or plate being extended.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view, the foot-support being telescoped un-- 'der the foot portion ofthe table-top.

Fig. 3 is an edge view showing the table partly folded, or in the half folded position.

Fig. 4 is a View showing the device entirely folded.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View along the line 7 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6.is a top plan view. I Figs. 7 8 and 9 are enlarged details showing, respectively, a side elevation, a front I edge view and a bottom-plan view of one of the two connecting plates to which the head 14, and a pair of jointed brace-bars 15 whichare pivoted to the legs at 16 and to the frame 10 at 17. The head-rest l1 and a body rest 12 are hinged to the rigid frame 10, 'as clearly shown in Fig. 6, and-an opei'iing 18 which is preferably elongated and elliptical, as shown, is provided in the head rest 11 so that when the patient lies face-downward on the table, the nose and mouth of the patient extend into the opening 18, while the cheeks of the patient rest on the margin of this opening, or on suitable padding or upholstering (not shown) which may be provided 'onthis and other parts of the table-top. A

stud or bolt 19 extends inward from the cross brace l t and engages interchangeably with a series of openings 20 ina plate or bar 21 which is hinged to the head support 11. By moving'the bar 21 so that the holes 20 engage interchangeably with the stud 19, the head rest 11 is moved and secured in differentvertical positions for raising and lowering the head of the patient.

The foot portion of the table comprises a rigid frame 22 which includes a top plate 23, a cross brace 2 l-and a combined bracing and supporting plate 25. A leaf 26 is slidable forward and rearward in a space under the top plate 23 and over cross braces 24 and 25. The extreme front or foot portion of the frame 22 has a pair of legs 26 hinged thereto, and a pair of jointed braces 27 are I pivoted at 28 to the legs 26 and at 29 to the frame 22. A second elastically suported member 12 is hinged to the frame 2- and connected with the previously 1nentioned member 12 by means of an elastic link 30, the ends of this link being connected to depending lower portions 31 of the members 12 in such manner that the upper or approximately horizontal portions of these members 12 are upwardly inclined towards one another when the elastic link 30 is permitted to hold them in this upwardly inclined position. However, means, (which will presently be described) are provided for holding the members 12 in the horizontal or depressed position when it is so desired.

The connecting plate 32 is preferably of the shape shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, being formed of a single blank of sheet metal or other rigid material. This plate comprises threevertical main surfaces 33, 34 and 35,

the latter being disposed at right angles to the surfaces 33 and 34: and uniting them in such relation that they lie in difierent vertical planes, thus being properly adapted to connect with the comparatively narrowly spaced beams 10 of the head section and 22 of the foot section. This feature provides for connecting the middle pair of legs 36 with the relatively narrow head section and relatively wide foot section of the table. The part 33 of plate 32 has its upper edge turned outward and downward to form a retaining flange 37 which extends over the left rail or beam 22 of the foot section. The part 34 of the member 32 has its upper end turned inward and downward to extend over the left rail or beam 10 of the head section.

,form of elastic means.

and downwardg also that the rails or beams 10 engage with the inner surface of these plates, while the rails 22 engage with the outer surfaces. Because of the rails 10 and 22 having their upper edges snuglyembraced by the channels formed by the flanges 37 and 38, the front and rear rails are heldin rigid relation to one another, when the device is in the operative position, thereby making the entire device very rigid; and stable. 7

The legs 36 are united by a cross bar or plate 36 and a metal strap 36 embraces the lower edge of this cross bar and extends up on opposite sides of the latter,being secured thereto by means of a bolt or rivet 36 Studs 36 extend forward and rearward from the strap 36 being rigidly secured thereto by any appropriate means. Adjust-- ing links or bars 39 are hinged to the respective elastically mounted members 12 and means the members12 or either one of them may be held down in the horizontal position and rigidly secured against the tendency of the elastic link 30 to raise them into the inclined position. Although the link 30 is here shown as consisting of two retractile sprin s connected by chain links, it is not intended to limit the elastic means for supporting the members 12- of this particular Moreover, it is not intended to limit any part of this invention to the exact construction and arrangement here shown and described, but changes may be made within the scope of the inventive ideas as implied and claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The table whose top includes tworigid portions and two elastically supported portions, the latter being hinged to the said rigid portions, respectively, and V elastic means extending from one to the other of these elasticallysupported portions and engaging with them in such manner that each exerts an upward'pressure which is equal to that of the other. V

2. The table having a joint at which it is foldable, and having a top which includes two rigidly supported plates and two elastically supported plates, the latter being hinged to the rigidly supported plates and having their free edges substantially over the said joint, and elastic means connecting with the said elastically supported plates in such manner that it normally presses theseat its ends and intermediate part, the intermediate legs being provided with plates to which the foldable sections of the table are pivoted respectively, each of these plates be ing formed with flanges which engage with the foldable sections when they are unfolded and hold the intermediate legs and foldable sections rigid with relation to one another.

4. The foldable table which includes legs at its ends and intermediate part, the intermediate legs being rigidly united with one another and provided with plates which are formed with down-turned flanges, rails pivoted to the said plates and supported thereby in connection with said end-legs, the

flanges of these plates being engageable with the tops of said rails when the table is unfolded, substantially as shown, for the purpose specified.

5. The foldable operating table which includes a top comprising a narrow head portion and a relatively wide foot portion, said head portion including narrowly spaced rails, said foot portion comprising widely spaced rails, legs foldably connected to the head end of the head portion, legs foldably connected to the foot end of the foot portion and being more widely spaced than the legs of the said head end, intermediate legs rigidly united with one another and pro- 'top, and means permanently united with the vided with plates rigidly united with their respective upper ends, each of these plates having an angular or ofi'set intermediate portion which provides a channel in which its leg is fitted, this also providing narrowly spaced and widely spaced parts of the plates, the rails of the head section being pivoted to the narrowly spaced parts of the plates, said rails of the foot section being pivoted to the widely spaced parts of these plates. I

6. The adjustable, foldable and portable operating table which is jointed at its middlev portion and includes legs which are foldably connected to its head and foot portions; this table also including a top which comprises rigidly supported sections of the respective head and foot portions, a vertically adjustable head rest, an adjustable foot rest, and an adjustable body rest between the head rest and foot rest, means being provided to hold the head rest and body rest in difi'erent vertical adjustments.

7. The structure defined by claim 6, and means to elastically support said adjustable body rest. I

8. The folding table which includes a top comprising a head portion and a foot portion, legs pivoted to the head portion and foldable on the latter, legs pivoted to the foot portion and foldable on the latter, and an intermediate pair of legs each provided with a plate which it supports at its upper end, each of these plates being provided with pivot-bearings at opposite sides of the leg, said head portion and foot portion being pivoted to these pivot bearings so that these portions and the first and second mentioned legs are foldable in parallel relation to the intermediate pair of legs substantially as shown.

9. The foldable table which includes a top for supporting the latter, said top ineluding two hinged and elastically supported plates which have their free edges adjacent to one another, the said means including a leg substantially under said free edges,

said top including two portions hinged to the said leg in such relation that they can be folded substantially parallel with said leg,

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

OLE H. THORFINNSSON. 

